Variations of Basal Cerebral Veins

Abstract

As described by PAGET6, the basal cerebral vein of ROSENTHAL7 is formed by secondary longitudinal anastomoses of the primarily transversely running veins — deep telencephalic, ventral diencephalic, and mesencephalic veins and the dorsal diencephalic tributary of the internal cerebral vein or the superior mesencephalic tributary of the great cerebral vein of Galen. During embryological development, these primitive veins drain laterally and posteriorly to join the tentorial sinus which opens into the primitive lateral sinus. With development and expansion of the cerebral hemisphere posteriorly, inferiorly and then anteriorly, the tentorial sinus becomes elongated, attenuated and eventually dwindles to a non-functioning structure. A more direct drainage of these primitive telencephalic, diencephalic, and mesencephalic veins into the galenic system becomes necessary. The basal cerebral vein thus formed drains posteromedially and superiorly to open into the galenic system. This form of drainage, according to PAGET, is a more advanced form of the drainage system than the posterolateral and inferior drainage system of these veins into the lateral sinus via the tentorial sinus.